German Masters 2016: MVG defends title in Munich

The world number one wasn't at his spectacular best over the Easter weekend and so nearly suffered a shock quarter-final exit at the hands of Chris Dobey earlier on the final day before edging through 6-5.

A routine 6-1 victory over Gary Anderson's conqueror Joe Cullen followed to set-up a final with Wright, who had seen off fellow Premier League star Michael Smith 6-4 in the last four at a sold-out BallhausForum.

Van Gerwen was too strong for Wright in the UK Open final earlier in the season but it looked as though the Scotsman would gain a measure of revenge when storming into a 3-1 lead, helped along by a stunning 158 finish, in the best-of-11-legs contest.

But the Dutchman, seeking his 10th European Tour title, eventually levelled the scores with an 85 finish in leg eight before edging ahead for the first time and when Wright missed double 16 to force a deciding leg, MVG clinched the £25,000 winner's cheque with a 70 finish.

Wright, who has now won just two of his previous 18 matches with the Dutchman, was denied his first European Tour title since winning the 2014 European Darts Open but takes home the consolation of a runners-up cheque for £10,000.

Semi-Final Review

Michael van Gerwen​ set up a repeat of this year's UK Open final against Peter Wright as he moved a step closer to retaining his German Darts Masters crown by brushing aside Joe Cullen 6-1 on Monday night.

Cullen had earlier caused the most eye-catching result of the Easter weekend in Munich by thrashing world champion and in-form Premier League star Gary Anderson 6-0 but there was no repeat of his heroics in the last four.

A 130 check-out helped van Gerwen to a 2-0 lead and even though Cullen avoided being whitewashed by taking the fifth leg, the result was never in doubt.

Wright had earlier made sure of his final spot with a hard-fought 6-4 victory over Michael Smith, who had been growing in confidence after another disappointing Premier League night on Thursday.

In an encounter when neither player found top gear, Wright recorded the game's only break of throw in the third leg with the highest finish either player could muster - 86 - and it proved decisive.

Smith, visibly unwell on stage, couldn't regain parity and Wright kept his composure to reach the last two.

Quarter-Final Review

Michael van Gerwen survived a real scare as he avoided a potential upset against Chris Dobey with both players averaging over 100.

Dobey produced the performance of his life, rattling in finishes of 86, 130, 143 and 87 to put the world number one on the back foot needing to win both the last two legs.

But the Dutchman lived up to his billing and after levelling the match with a 111 check out he pulled out an 11-darter with two maximums and a showbiz double 12, double 10 finish to edge through.

He will next meet Joe Cullen, who produced a devastating display to whitewash Gary Anderson and reach his first European Tour semi-final.

Cullen, who averaged 99 - a full 20 points more than his opponent, produced finishes of 158 and 144 in the first three legs and didn't look back from there.

Anderson couldn't live with the onslaught and only managed three attempts at a double in the whole match as Cullen romped through.

Peter Wright coasted in to the semi-finals after a 6-2 win despite a brave display from James Richardson in Munich.

Richardson averaged 110 over the first half of the match but fell away as Wright remained consistent throughout and wrapped up the win with a 101.78 average.

After opening up a 3-1 lead, Wright's advantage was cut in half as Richardson took out 100 in the fifth leg but the world number five then assumed control to book his place in the last four.

Michael Smith overcame a slow start to set up a semi-final clash with Wright as he beat Ian White 6-4.

Smith found himself 3-0 down before finishes of 81 and 76 gave him hope.

White took the next but after missing double 14 for a 148 in leg seven, Smith checked out 100 and then took the lead for the first time with 78 and 24 closures before a finish of 45 sealed the match.

Third Round Review

James Richardson stunned Adrian Lewis to book his place in the German Darts Masters quarter-finals in Munich on Monday afternoon.

Premier League darts star Lewis managed only three successful attempts out of 21 at a double in the match as Richardson lived up to his 'Ruthless' nickname by punishing his opponent's mistakes.

Having been a fraction away from a 170 finish in the fifth leg, Richardson had more joy with a 130 to open up a 4-2 lead and although Lewis clawed one back with an 85 finish in the eighth, Richardson held his nerve to nail double one for a 6-3 success and reach his first European Tour quarter-final since 2012.

World number one Michael van Gerwen continued his pursuit to retain his title with a convincing display as he beat Kevin Painter 6-2.

The world number one was much improved on his opening match display against Rene Eidams and although Painter proved stubborn opposition, van Gerwen's superior scoring power proved decisive with a 102.85 final average.

The first two legs went against the throw but van Gerwen notched four in a row including a 115 finish and although Painter stopped the rot with a 106 in the seventh leg, van Gerwen only needed one more leg to get the job done.

Reigning World Champion Gary Anderson made short work of William O'Connor to move in to the quarter-finals.

'Der Weltmeister' posted an average of 101.66 as he overcame an early break from the Irishman, whose 117 check-out in the opening leg proved to be his highlight.

Once Anderson had broken him in leg five with an 86 finish and then held his throw in 14 darts he didn't look back and rattled off the remainder required in quick time to reach the last eight.

Another seeded player crashed out of the competition as Chris Dobey continued his fairytale run, dispatching eighth seed Dave Chisnall with a scintillating display.

The 25-year-old, ranked a lowly 77th in the world, notched seven 180s on his march to the quarter-finals, recording an average of 102.25.

Chisnall, by contrast, struggled to get his own average above 90 and despite a 164 finish in the fifth leg to take the lead, he couldn't live with his unheralded opponent who started leg eight with two maximums as he grew in confidence in front of the sell-out 2000 crowd, finally hitting tops to put Chisnall out of his misery.

Peter Wright survived a scare of his own as he edged past Cristo Reyes in a final leg decider as the afternoon session kicked off with a nail biter.

The Spaniard opened up 2-0 and 4-2 leads but was pegged back on both occasions as Wright dug deep despite not being at his best. A 124 finish in the tenth leg from the third seed forced a decider and after Reyes wired double 16 for the match, Wright sneaked over the line with his last dart at double 10.

The only last 16 match between two seeded players lived up to its billing with Ian White and Jelle Klaasen trading 10 180s in their 11 legs as White edged through.

Both players had chances for a nine-darter, White in leg four and Klaasen in the seventh, but after six perfect darts couldn't kick off their third visits with the required treble.

Klaasen's showman strategy of trying to win a leg with repeat doubles let him down twice and White nudged his average over 100 at the death as he finished off 56 in the decider.

Number two seed Michael Smith sent out a message to the rest of the field with a clinical display as he ended James Wilson's hopes in Munich.

Smith averaged 104.56 and recorded six successful attempts from just seven attempts at a double as he made it through to the last eight where he will play Ian White.

Wilson played his part in the encounter too as only one leg in the entire match went longer than 15 darts, but the St Helens star prevailed and although he was pegged back from 3-1 up to 3-3, successive 13 dart legs on his throw took him to the hill where a 123 check out saw him over the line.

Joe Cullen's fine weekend continued as he edged past Benito van de Pas in another final leg shootout at the BallhausForum.

The pair exchanged breaks of throw in the opening two legs but thereafter every leg went with serve including the 10th, when Cullen nailed seven treble 20s before falling short on double 19 with his eighth dart.

Cullen looked like he had blown his chance to get over the line in the last though as he missed five match darts, but the Dutchman spurned four of his own and it was Cullen who eventually prevailed. 

German Darts Masters: Daily Results

Saturday March 26
First Round
Afternoon Session
Mark Walsh 6-2 Thomas Junghans
Ronny Huybrechts 6-2 John Michael
Cristo Reyes 6-2 Mark Barilli
Jeffrey de Graaf 6-4 Darren Johnson
John Bowles 6-3 Fabian Herz
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Rene Eidams 6-1 Peter Hudson
James Richardson 6-1 Andrew Gilding

Evening Session
Joe Cullen 6-1 Mike Zuydwijk 
Kevin Painter 6-1 Stuart Kellett
Chris Dobey 6-1 Ben Davies
William O'Connor 6-3 Tomas Seyler 
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Alan Norris
James Wilson 6-3 Marko Puls 
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Steve Beaton
Devon Petersen 6-5 Nathan Aspinall 

Sunday March 27
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Brendan Dolan 1-6 Cristo Reyes
Justin Pipe 5-6 Kevin Painter
Terry Jenkins 2-6 James Richardson
Ian White 6-2 Mark Walsh
Robert Thornton 4-6 Chris Dobey
James Wade 4-6 Joe Cullen
Kim Huybrechts 1-6 William O'Connor
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Jermaine Wattimena

Evening Session
Adrian Lewis (6) 6-4 John Bowles
Jelle Klaasen (10) 6-0 Ronny Huybrechts
Michael Smith (2) 6-5 Jeffrey de Graaf
Peter Wright (3) 6-4 Stephen Bunting
Mensur Suljovic (15) 4-6 James Wilson
Gary Anderson (12) 6-1 Daryl Gurney
Benito van de Pas (13) 6-2 Devon Petersen
Michael van Gerwen (1) 6-3 Rene Eidams 

Monday March 28
Afternoon Session - Third Round
Peter Wright 6-5 Cristo Reyes
Adrian Lewis 3-6 James Richardson
Ian White 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Michael Smith 6-4 James Wilson
Joe Cullen 6-5 Benito van de Pas
William O'Connor 2-6 Gary Anderson
Dave Chisnall 4-6 Chris Dobey
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Kevin Painter

Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
Peter Wright 6-2 James Richardson
Ian White 4-6 Michael Smith
Joe Cullen 6-0 Gary Anderson
Chris Dobey 5-6 Michael van Gerwen

Semi-Finals
Peter Wright 6-4 Michael Smith
Joe Cullen 1-6 Michael van Gerwen​

Final
Peter Wright 4-6 Michael van Gerwen